Fan gear assembly



March 11, 1947. JORDAN 7 2,417,303 FAN GEAR ASSEMBLY Filed June 20, 1345Illl INVENTOR.

of---the fan base II.

Patented Mar. 11, 1947 UNITED STATES 2,417,303 FAN dean ASSEMBLY RichardH. Jordan,

- Dominion corporation of Ohio Mansfield, Ohio, assigncr to ElectricalManufacturing, End, a

Application June 20, 1945, Serial No; 600,571

My invention relates to an oscillating mechanism for an electric fan andin particular to the housing for the working parts of that oscillatingmechanism.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved oscillatingmechanism for an electric fan in which the working parts are entirelywithin the housing.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an oscillatingmechanism including an axle in which the housing ha-s'internal slotmeans for holding the axle.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an oscillatingmechanism in which the gears may be mounted on the inserted from the topof the housing and into slots on the inside of the mechanism housing.

A further object of my invention is to provide an oscillating mechanismfor an electric fan which is sturdy in construction and easy toassemble.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved housingfor the working par-ts of an oscilating mechanism.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had byreferring to the following description and claims taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a fan embodying my oscillatingmechanism;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side View, being shown in cross-section, of mvoscillating mechanism,

' certain parts being omitted for clarity;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of my invention taken along the line3-3 of Figure 2, certain parts being omitted for clarity; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4- 3 of Figure3.

With reference to my drawings, and in particular to Figure 1, thereference character ii! represents a fan motor supported by the fan baseIt to rotate the fan blades l2. An oscillating mech anism It may beoperated by the rotor shaft M to oscillate the fan with respect to thefan base. The oscillation of the fan disburses the air currents producedby the fan blades [2.

The fan motor 50 which rotates the fan blades i2 includes fieldlamination l8 and rotor lamination ll, which are carried by the rotorshaft I 4. The motor may be pivotally supported upon anadjustable-support arm lll'wl'iich is a part This adjustable support-arm I 8-mayb pivotally mounted on-thepivot Y i rod 1 l9 betweenthepivot mounting members -2I' extendingtupwardly from the base- H; Aset" axle and the axle thenv 16 Claims. ((31. 236-4264) screw 28threaded into the pivot mounting members 26 and engaging the support arm[8 may be employed to lock the adjustable support arm in the desiredposition. The fan motor ill may be oscillatively supported above thesupport arm it by the support shaft 22; It is understood that othersuitable means may be employed to mount the fan motor on a fan base.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, my oscillating mechanism it comprisesprimarily a gear box housing 25, a transmitting gear 26, and a revolubleshaft 271' which carries the cam lever 28. The transmitting gear 25drivingly connects the rotor shaft is to the revoZub-le shaft 21. Thecam lever 28 is fastened on one end to the revoluble shaft 22 and on theother end to alink 29 which is also fastened to the base- H. The rotorshaft I4 re-' volves the revoluble shaft 21 to oscillate the fan bymeans of the cam lever 223 and the link 29.

The gear box housing 25, as used in my oscillatin'g mechanism 83, has abottom 34, side walls 35,

and a cover or top 36. It is noted that the housing completely enclosesthe working parts of oscilating mechanism l3.

In actual practice, the bottom and side walls of my gear box housing maybe cast as a single unit or they may be constructed by other suitablemeans. The bottom 34 has a tubular shaped member fill extendingdownwardly therefrom for sup-porting the revoluble or cam drivingsh'aft21. This tubularshaped member 4| may be cast with the bottom 36 or itmay be fastened by other suitable means, such for example welding, tothe bottom 3 3.

The tubular shaped member 4| may serve as a bearing for the cam drivingshaft 21. The side wall includes a mounting wall 31 and supporting wallportions it and M. The mounting wall 3? has a mounting bracket 38 whichextends outwardly from the sides of the oscillating mechanism to engagethe field lamination I6 of the motor iii. A mounting bolt 39 extendsthrough openings in the mounting bracket 33 and through the fieldlamination it, thus holding the oscillating mechanism it on the motorl0. It is understood that other suitable means may be employed to fastenthe oscillating mechanism l3 to the motor H3.

The rotor shaft it, which extends through an opening in the mountingwall and into the gear box housing 25, may be mounted in a'bearing 60.

I have employed abearing support plate 6| which niay-befastened byscrews 62 to the mounting wall it for holding the bearing in the openingin the mounting wall'portion'tl of the sidewall 35.

against which A felt pad 63 may be placed about the bearing 60 andbetween the bearing support plate 6! and the mounting wall 31. AlthoughI have used this particu ar bearing for my rotor shaft, it is understoodthat any suitable style of bearing may be employed. I Y

The supporting wall portion 43 of the side wall 35 extends from one endof the mounting wall portion 31 and substantially perpendicular to themounting wall portion 3?. A supporting wall portion 46, which is similarto extends substantially parallel to the wall portion 43 and from theopposite end of the wall portion 3'5. These supporting wall portionsdsand 44 thus form the opposite walls of the gear box housing 25 andsupport the transmitting gear 26. In my description, I will describe thesupporting wall portion M. It is understood that the supporting wallportion 43 ha the same respective parts as the wall portion id, and thatthe respective parts of these two wall portions 43 and 44 aresubstantially alignedwith each other.

The supporting wall portion M has an internal surface to which is on theinside wall of the gear box housing 25, and a top end surface 45 thecover or top 26 of the gear box housing is held. 'A substantially Tshaped slot 41 extends from the top end surface 46 toward the bottom 34and ends in a substantially semicircular bearing surface 48. Thesubstantially T shaped slot 41 opens on the internal surface 45 and alsoon the end surface 45. Although I have used a substantially T shapedslot, it is understood that slots of other designs may be employed withwhich the same results may be obtained. The substantially T shaped slotincludesa back slot portion and a front slot portion 52. The back slotportion 5!, which is furthest from the internal surface 45, is widerthan the front slot portion 52 which opens on the internal surface to.The side of the back slot portion 5I which is closest the internalsurface 45, defines an inside slot surface 49, formed by the flange 50,and an inside slot surface 52 formed by the flange 5 1. The flange 54 islarger than the flange Ell, thus making the space between'the flanges 50and 54 less than the diameter of the transmitting gear axle 12. Thetransmitting gear 26 is supported between the wall portions 43 and at byholding the transmitting gearaxle E2 on the slot bearing surfaces to.The end of the axle which is inserted in the substantially T shaped slotat has a fiat portion on the rounded surface thereof, which-engages theflange 54 to prevent rotation of the transmitting gear axle 32. Thetransmitting gear thus revolves on the axle inserted instead of the axlerevolving on the slot bearing surface.

Lips or flanges 55, which are located at the outside top end of the sidewall 33, provide means for fastening the cover thereto. These flanges 55are located on the supporting wall portions M and 43 and extendoutwardly from the top end surface thereof. The cover or top 36 may bestamped from sheet steel and has flanges 56 positioned for alignmentwith the lips or flanges 55. After the parts have been placed in thegear box'housing 25, the flanges 56 on the cover may be pressed aroundthe lip or flange 55 on the supporting wall portion to fasten the coverto the gear box housing 25. opening 57' which is in alignment with thetube shaped bearing 4| on the bottom. The revoluble or cam driving shaft27 extends upwardly through this opening 51. I have chosen this type thewall portion 43,-

The cover has an cillating mechanism it, the

sure of the preferred by way of exampleand that numerous changes ofcover because of its practicability and simplicity to manufacture, butitis understood that other types of covers and means. for fastening thesecovers may be employed.

The transmitting gear 26, which drivingly connects the cam driving shaft2? to the rotor shaft it of the fan motor ill,'includes a gear to and aworm gear 5!. The gear iii and the worm gear H are fastened together andare revolubly mounted on the axle The axle ":2 extends between thesupporting wall portions t3 and 44 and is supported by the T shapedslots 61. Spacer washers 13 may be used to prevent the gear iii and theworm gear it from rubbing the internal wall surfaces 45. In assemblingthe osgears It and H may be mounted on the axle '52, which may thenbedropped into the T shaped slots M. Lugs l4 may then be inserted into theslots and between the axle l2 and the cover 35 to hold the axle l2against the bearing surface 58. The gear 1% drivin ly engages the worm15 on the end of the rotor shaft M, which extend-e into the gear boxhousing 25. These gears may from metal or. other suitable materialswhich are machinable. V

The revoluble or cam driving shaft 2? includes a lower shaft member 80,a gear 81, and an upper shaft member 82. The cam lever 28, whichcooperates with the link 29 to oscillate the fan, is fastened to theexternal end portion 86 of the lower shaft member 89. The other innerend of the lower shaft member 30, which is within the housing 25, has ashoulder at and a threaded extension 85, extending outwardly from theshoulder 8B. The gear Si is floatingly mounted'on the shoulder 84 andabout the threaded extension 85. The upper shaft member has a threadedhole 88 for engaging the threaded extension on the lower end thereof,and a knob 89 on the upper end thereof. I have placed a washer or collar.99 about the threaded extension 85 and between the gear- 3! and theupper shaft member 82. This gear 8! isdrivingly engaged to the worm gearH. When the upper shaft member 82 is tightened onto the lower shaftmember 80, thus frictionally engaging the gear 81 to the lower shaftmembertll, the revoluble. or cam driving shaft 2'! is revolved by thegear. This frictionally engaging the gear ill with the shoulder 84 torotate the 'revoluble shaft 2? provides clutch means for the oscillatingmechanism 13, whereby the fan may be made to oscillate at any desiredtime. s

The rotor shaft continually turns the transmitting gear 26, which inturn continually turns the gear 8!. When the operator wishes tooscillate the fan, he simply tightens the clutch by turning the knob 89to cause tionally drive the cam driving shaft 27.

Although I have described my. invention, with a certain degree ofparticularity in its preferred form, it is understood that the presentdiscloform has been made only in the details of construction and thecombination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and'the scope of the invention as hereinafterclaimed.

What is claimed is: V v 1 1. In a housing for an oscillating mechanismhaving an axle, a first wall portion having an internal surface and atop end surface, a second .wall portion substantiallyparallel to thefirst wall portion and having an internal'surface and a top beconstructed the gear 83 to fricand the said end surface and second WallI x on the said internal surface and top end surface "and terminating ina substantially semicircular 'coverengaging said end surface to hold thein and terminating in a bearing surface, said second wall portion havingslot-means opening on the said internal surface and top-end surface andterminating in a bear ing surface, said slot means inatli'e'first Wall1301"- 'tion' and the said slot means in the second wall portion beingaligned'whereb'y the axle may be inserted in the slot means, aninsertable member freely inserta-ble in said slot'means for holding "thetime in the slot'means and against the bear-- ing surfaces, and a coverengaging said end sure face' to holdthe insertable member in the slotmeans.

said

2, In 'a housing for an oscillating mechanism having an 'axle, afirstwall portion having an "internal surface and atop end surface, a secondfwall portion substantially parallel to the first Wall portion andhavingan internal surface and a top end surface, said internal surfaceof the first wall portion facing the said internal surface of thesecondwall portion, said first wall portion having slot means opening onthe said internal surface terminating in a substantially semicircularbearing surface, said portion having slot means opening bearing surface,said slot means in the first wall portion and the said slot-means in thesecond wall portion being aligned whereby the axle may be insertedin'theslot means, an insertabie membei'" freely insertable in said slotmeans for holding the axle in the slot means and against thesubstantially semicircular bearing surfaces, and a sertable member inthe said slot means,

3. ,In an oscillating mechanism having an axle, housing means having afirst and a second Wall portion, said'first and seconcl'wall portionseach having slot means with a portion of the slot means defining bearingsurface, said bearing surface in the firstwall portion being alignedwith the said bearing surface in the second wall portion, meanscooperating with the slot means for holding the axle againstthe bearingsurface said Wall portion and said axlehaving' cooperat ing means forpreventing. turning of said axle relative to said housing.

4. In an oscillating mechanism having an; axle, housing-means havingafirst and a second wall portionrsaid first-and said sec-ond Wallportions each having Twshaped slot means therein-With w a, portion'of-the slot means defining asubstam tially semicircular bearing surface,said T shaped slot means thereby defining flange means extending alongsaid slot means and from said hearing surface, said slot means includinga first portion disposed between said flange means and a second portiondisposed behind said flange means, said bearing surface in the firstwall portion being aligned with the said bearing surface in the secondWall portion whereby said axle may be inserted into said slot means, andmeans insertable in said second slot portion and behind said flangemeans for cooperating with said slot means for holding the axle againstthe said bearing surfaces.

5. In an oscillating mechanism for oscillating an electric fan includinga rotor shaft and a fan base, a gear box housing having a bottom, a sideWall and a cover, a gear and a Worm integral "With each 'other and"disposed 1 substantially at rightangles' to the said M being drivinglyconnected an axle extending through the said gear-and the i said wormfor revolubly supporting the same,

rotor shaft," said -gear to the said rotor-shaft,

said gear and said'worm being free to rotate'on s'aidaxlesaid side Wallbeing integral with the said bottom and having having a, first'wallportion with mounting means a top'edge, said sidewall for mounting thesaid oscillating mechanism and *with an opening throughwhich an en-d ofthe said rotor:- shaft extends into the said housing,

tially at'right angles to the said second and said third wall portioneach having slot means with the slot means in each of the wall portionsfacing each other said side wall having said side wall having a secondand a third Wall portion oppositely disposed and each substansaid firstwall portion,

and" being aligned to receive the opposite ends of the said axle,saidslot means opening on the saidtop edge of the wall and terminatingin a bearing end surface near the base for supporting the said axle,means for holding the said 'axle against the curved end surface and inthe said recess, fastening means on the top edge for the fastening ofthe cover thereto, said cover and said-bottom being provided withopenings th'erethrough and having a shaft iournaled v and side wall withan opening in said side wall on the said shaft upon which therein withthe shaft at substantially right angles to the said axle, and

with each end of the said shaft extending outwardly beyond the saidhousing, a'lever on one end of the said shaft, a link for connecting thesaid lever and the said fan base, a gear drivingly connected to the saidworm and mounted upon the said shaft, a cfllar the said gear may ride,and means revoluble on the other end of the said shaft and operable toclamp the said gear against the saidcollar for drivinglyconnecting thesame to the said shaft whereby revolving the shaft oscillates the fanWith respect to the-fan base.

6. In an oscillating mechanism for'an electric and revoluble shaft, a

" 'throughwhich the said revoluble shaft extends into-said housing,transmitting gear means'ineluding an axle" revolublysupported within thesaid housing and drivingly engaging the said revoluble shaft; said axlebeing supported at substantially right angles to the said revolubleshaft, said side wall having slot means on oppositely disposed sides ofthe said housing and facing each other with one end of the slot meansopening at the top of the housing for receiving the ends of the saidaxle, spacer member for insertion into the said slot means between thesaid axle and the said cover to prevent the said axle from movingtowards the said cover,'said cover and said bottom portion havingaligned openings with shaft means revolubly mounted therein andextending outwardly therefrom, said shaft means being substantially atright angles to said axle, cam means fastened to one end of the saidshaft means and connected to the said fan base, said shaft havingdriving gear means engaging the said transmitting gear means with clutchmeans within the shaft means for drivingly engaging the shaft means withthe said driving gear means, and means for operating the clutch meanswhereby, when the shaft means is drlvingly engaged with the saidtransmitting each other for receiving said 7. In an'oscillatingmechanism for a fan, said oscillating mechanism having an axle, a gearbox housing having a side wall, said side wall having a first wallportion with an opening therethrough and with mounting means associatedtherewith, said side wall having a second wall portion extending fromone end of the said first wall portion, and said side wall having athird wall portion substantially parallel to the said second wallportion and extending from the opposite end'of the said first wallportion,

, said slot means in the said second and third wall portions beingsubstantially in alignment with each other for receiving said axle saidslot means and said axle having cooperating means for preventing turningof said axle in said slot means.

8. In an oscillating mechanism for a fan, said oscillating mechanismhaving an axle, a gear box housing having a side wall; said side wallhaving a first wall portion with an opening therethrough and withmounting means associated therewith, said side wall having a second wallportion extending from one end of the said first wall portion, and saidside wall having a third wall portion substantially parallel to the saidsecond wall portion and extending from the opposite end of the saidfirst Wall portion, said second and third wall portions each having aninside surface and a top end surface with the said inside surfacesfacing each other, the said second and the said third wall portionshaving slots of substantially T shaped cross-section opening on the saidinside surfaces and extending from the top end surface thereof andterminating in a substantially semicircular bearing surface, the saidslots of substantially T shaped cross-section in the said second andthird wall portions being substantially in alignment with axle, said Tshaped slot means thereby defining flange means extending along saidslot means and from said bearing surface, said slot means including afirst portion isposed between said flange means and a second portiondisposed behind said flange means, and means insertable in said secondslot portion and behind said flange means for cooperating with said slotmeans for holding said axle therein and 55 against said bearingsurfaces. c

9. In an oscillating mechanism having an axle, housing means having afirst and a second 'wall portion, said first and second wallportionseach having slot means with a portion of the slot 8 c means definingbearing surface, said bearing surface in the first wall portion beingsubstantially aligned with the said bearing surface in the second wallportion, means cooperating with the slot means for holding the axleagainst the bearing surface when the axle is inserted in the slot means,said slot means and said'axle having cooperating means forpreventingrotation of said axle in said slot means. c

10. In an oscillating mechanism for an electric fan having a fan baseand removable shaft, a housing having a top cover, a bottom portion, andside wall with an opening in said side wall through which the into saidhousing, transmitting gear means in cluding an axle revolubly supportedwithin the said housing and drivingly engaging thesaicl revoluble shaft,said axle being supported at substantially right angles to the saidrevoluble shaft, said side wall having slot means on oppositely disposedsides of the said housing and facing each other with one end of the slotmeans opening at the top of the housing for receiving the ends of thesaid axle, said slot means and said axle having cooperating means forpreventing rotation of said axle in said slot means, spacer member forinsertion into the said slot means between the said axle and the saidcover to prevent the said axle from moving towards the said cover, saidcover and said bottom portion having aligned openings with shaft meansrevolubly mounted therein and extending outwardly. therefrom, said shaftmeans being substantially at right anglesto said axle, cam meansfastened to one end of the said shaft means and connected to the saidfan base, said shaft having driving gear means engaging the saidtransmitting gear means'with clutch means within the shaft means fordrivingly engaging 40 the shaft means with the said driving gear means,and means for operating the clutch means whereby, when the shaft meansis drivingly engaged with the said transmitting gear means, the fan isoscillated with respectto the fan base.

RICHARD JORDAN.

REFERENCES GITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 375,158 Hill Dec. 20, 18871,145,292 Buck .July 6, 1915 1,169,297 Steiner Jan, 25, 1916 2,154,767Newnham Apr. 18, 1939 2,364,860 Lloyd 1 Dec. 12,1944

said revoluble shaft extends

